Vapor electric device



mg. 4, 1948. P. A. HALPINE 2,447,545

VAPOR ELECTRIC DEVICE I Filgd July 31, 1947 ATTORN EY Patented Aug. 24,1948 VAPOR ELECTRIC DEVICE Paul A. Halpine, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor toWestinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporationof Pennsylvania Application July 31, 1947, Serial No. 764,995

7 Claims. 1

My invention relates to vapor electric devices and particularly to aconstruction of such a device f or withstanding shock or vibration.

Heretofore in the application of vapor electric devices, it has beencustomary to mount the devices on relatively stable mountings. However,when utilizing such devices on moving vehicles, such as boats orlocomotives, the devices become subject to varying and excessive shockand vibration. Vibration has several effects detrimental to theoperation of the devices. First, it is able to displace the liquidcathode material so as to inhibit normal operation of the device.Further, the vibration is liable to break the seals which maintain thevacuum tight insulative relation between certain elements of the device.I have found that these deleterious effects can be materially offset byproviding a cathode pool having transverse baflles which substantiallyinhibit movement of the cathode material.

I have found further that the seals may be materially reenforced byeliminating a major portion of the usual vitreous seal and substitutingtherefor a metallic element and making the seals in the form ofsubstantially enclosed annular bead-like members in which the strainsare substantially absorbed by the metal portions of the seal. In orderto prevent fiashover of the exterior of the seal, an insulating materialcan be ap lied over all or a portion of the metal parts comprising themajor portion of the seal.

It is accordi l an obiect of my invention to provide a stabil zedelectric valve.

It is a further obiect of my invention to provide an electric valve caable of extensive operation under shock condit ons.

It is a furt er obiect of my invention to provide an impro ed seal for avapor electric device,

Other objects and advant es of my invention w ll e apparent from thefollowin detailed descrintinn taken in coniunct on with the accompan indraw n in which the fi ure is an elevation. nart lly in section. of avapor electric dev ce ac or in to mv invent on.

In the exe lary embod me t of my invention. the, warm-r nln tri devicecnrn-nrises a mat-1111, velrme l in w ch are nlaced a pluralit ofcooperating electrodes. such as an anode 2 which may be constructed ofan suitable mater al. referablv gra hite. a pool-t ne cathode 3 placedon the bottom of the container l, a make-alive electrode 4 forinitiating cathode spots on the cathode material. the make-aliveelectrode 4 being provided with an insulated lead-in bushing 5,preferably extending through the bottom header 6 of the envelope I.

Also, it is customary to provide a plurality of shields I and 8 betweenthe anode 2 and cathode 3, which may ormay not have control potentialsapplied thereto dependent upon the operating conditions in the tube.

The anode 2 is supported by an anode stem l0 which extends through anopening H in the envelope I and is sealed in an insulating vacuumtyperelation by means of my improved anode seal assembly.

Preferably, my improved seal provides a substantially upstandingcollar-like element l2 attached to the envelope I, usually by welding,and surrounding the opening ll through which the anode stem Ill extends,and attached to the anode stem 10 is a cap [3 of similar materialproviding downwardly extending edges I4 which are preferably axiallyaligned with the upstanding edges of the collar l2.

Usually, in order to provide sufiicient voltage gradient, it isnecessary to apply one or more intermediate body sections M of metal andto supply glass seals Iii-l6 between the various sections of theassembly. In order to make these seals l5l6 substantially shockproof, Iprovide at least one of each of the meeting edges with a U-shapedcontour l8 and assemble the meeting sections in spaced telescopingrelation with the U-shaped portion l8 extending over the edge of themeeting section. While either one of the sections [2, l3, I4 mayobviously be provided with the U-shaped edges I8, I have found it mostconvenient to provide the U-shaped edges IS in the intermediate bodyportion 14.

While it is possible to use a single tubular body element [4 and splitthe edge and spin it out into a U-shaped portion, I have found it moreconvenient to provide two spinnings l9 and 2!] which have a push orpress fit with each other, and then welding or brazing these portionstogether to provide a substantially integral body portion M, theopposite ends of which areprovidedwith U-shaped edges 18 for telescopicrelation with the upstanding collar l2 and the dependent cap l3.

To seal the metal portions together substantially bead-like portions15-46 of vitreous material is applied to the annular U-shaped member l8,and by means of heat is sealed to the edges of the U-shaped member l8,and to the telescoping edge of the abutting element. This annular beadI5 is of such proportions as to completely embed not only the telescopedsingle edge but the upstanding U-shaped edges 18 so that no sharp edgeis exposed beyond the insulating material.

Where the voltage gradient can be met thereby, only one of the bead-likeseals lE-IG may be necessary, but usually two or more such seals l5-l Bare found to be desirable. Since the beadlike seals l5-| 6 produce arelatively short creepage distance, a high voltage might break down overthe outside of the assembly. Therefore, I provide at least a portion ofthe metallic elements the insulating material to the entire exterior ofthe metallic body portion Hi. If desired, or course, the insulatingcoating 25 can be applied also to the inner portion of the seal, butusually such extended surfaces are not necessary in the interior ofvacuum apparatus.

The bead-like annular seals ld-Jtare substantially enclosed in theU-shaped portion l8 so thatvibration does not tend to break the vitreousmaterial but is substantially absorbed by the more resilient metal.

To prevent the vibration fromdisplacing the cathode mercury 3 out ofcontact with the ignitor 4, a'plurality of surge suppressors are placedin the cathode container 29. Preferably, the surge compressors take theform of rigid :plates or baffles 30. The plates 30 are of less Widththan the container 29 so as to provide side passages 3| to permitlimited movement of the mercury. The plates 30 are secured in spacedcriss-crossed relation to substantially inhibit sudden motion of themercury 'in response to shock or vibration.

For purposes of illustration, Ihave shown and described a specificembodiment of my invention. It will be apparent that changes andmodifications can be made therein without departing from :the truespirit of my invention or the scope of the-appended claims.

-I claim as my invention:

1. A shock-resistant vapor electric device comprising a metallicenvelope, a plurality of cooperating electrodes, one of which is ananode, said envelope having :an opening therein, an anode stern attachedto said anode and extending through said opening, a sealing structurebwtween said envelope and said anodestem including a sealing membersecured to the envelope about the opening, a second sealing member secured to the anode stern, one of said sealing members having a il-shaped edge, said sealing members being asse'rnbled'in spacedtelescoped relatioma bead of vitreous material filling said U-s'hapededge and embedding the edges of both members, and a coating ofinsulating material on a portion of sealing members.

2. A shock resistant vapor'electric device comprising a metallicenvelope, a plurality of cooperating electrodes, one of which is ananode, said envelope having an opening therein, an anode'stem attachedto said anode and extending through said opening, a sea-ling structurebetween said envelope and said anode stem including a sealing membersecured to the envelope about the opening, a second sealing membersecured to the anode stem, one of said sealing members having a U-shapededge, said sealing members being assembled "in spaced ttelescopedrelation, a bead of vitreous material filling said U-shaped edge andembedding the edges of both members, and a coating of insulatingmaterial on a portion of saidsealing members, a pool "of liquid cathodematerial in said envelope and a plurality of superposed spaced apartbaffies for restraining movement of said cathode material.

3. In a lead-in assembly for a vapor electric device having a metallicenvelope comprising a metal collar for attachment to the envelope, ametallic cap-like member having an upstanding edge, an intermediatecylindrical member, said collar, cylindrical member and the upstandingedge of said cap being of substantially the same cross sectionaldimensions and assembled in spaced longitudinal relation, one of theadjacent edges being -U-'shaped and receiving the other in spacedtelescoped manner, a bead of vitreous material filling said U-shapedportion and sealed to the edges of both sections, and a layer ofinsulating material extending over the outer surface of at least aportion of said assembly.

1. An insulating vacuum proof seal for an electric discharge devicecomprising :substantially cylindrical terminal portions, -asubstantially cylindrical body portion, one of said portions having aU-shaped end and extending around the end of the adjacent portion, abead of vitreous material filling said U-shaped end and Wetted theretoand to the end extending therein and a layer of vitreous materialcovering said body portion.

5. An anode sea-l assembly for an electric discharge device comprising atubular section of metal for attachment to a container, a substantiallycylindrical metallic body-portion, a metallic cup-like terminal portion,all of said metallic portions being spaced from each other, a vitreousbead sealing the adjacent edges together and a layer of vitreousmaterial covering apart of said metallic .portions.

6. A vibration resistant vapor-electric valve comprising a metalliccontainer, a plurality of cooperating electrodes in said container, oneof said electrodes being ananode, 'said container having an opening inthe wall thereof, an anode stem attached to said anode and extendingthrough said opening, an upstanding metal co'llar surrounding saidopening and attached 'to said container, a member attachedto said anodestem and having edges extending toward 'said collar, a tubular bodyportion, between sa'id'collar and said member, said collar, said bodyportion and said member being in spaced axial alignment, a bead ofvitreous material sealing said member to said body portion, a secondbead of Vitreous material sealing said collar to said body portion and alayer of insulating material covering the outer surfacebfsai'd bodyportion.

7. A vibration resistant Vapor-electric Valve comprising a metalliccontainer, a plurality of cooperating electrodes in-said container, oneof said electrodes being an anode, said container having an "openingin'the wall thereof,'an anode stem attached to said anode and extendingthrough said opening, an upstanding metal 001- lar surrounding saidopening and attached to said containena member attached to said anodestem and having edges extending toward said collar, a tubular bodyportion, between said collar and said member, said collar, said bodyportion and said member being in spaced axial alignment, a bead ofvitreous material sealing said member .to'said body portion, a secondbead of vitreous material sealing said collar to said body portion and alayer of insulating material covering the outer surface of said bodyportion, a pool of liquid cathode material in said con-- tainer and aplurality of superposed spacedapart surge suppressors'in said pool.

PAUL A.

